Retire in Croatia
To retire in Croatia from outside the EU you need €869.40 a month in 2026 for a one-year stay, renewable only for property owners over 60. Prices run at about 59% of US levels.
What it takes, what it costs, and where retirees settle, from Croatia's law and official data. Checked on Oct 8, 2026.
- Retiree visa
- From €869/mo (about $970) A pension, a bank balance or a family member's written pledge of support, equal to 60% of …. Aliens Act; Aliens Act amendment 2025; Means of subsistence regulation; Means regulation 2026; Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Price level
- ~59% of the US Household consumption, 2025. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Tax on a foreign pension
- 15% to 33% Taxed like wages, at local rates. PwC Tax Summaries; IRS. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Travel advisory
- Level 1 of 4 Exercise Normal Precautions. US State Department. Updated May 17, 2026.
- Health spending
- $1,548/person Per year; US $13,473. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- US tax treaty
- None No income tax treaty with the US. IRS. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Do you qualify?
Croatia has no retirement visa. Retirees from outside the EU use temporary stay for other purposes: a one-year permit for people who live on a pension or savings and show a reason to stay, such as owning a home in Croatia. Only retirees over 60 who own property in Croatia, and their spouse or partner, can renew it year after year.
Temporary Stay visa: documents and feesRetiring in Croatia, topic by topic
Visa
Temporary Stay visa requirements
Documents, government fees and the other routes to residency.
Healthcare
Healthcare for retirees
The hospitals retirees use, what insurance covers, and Medicare abroad.
Money
Banking, pensions and tax
How US, UK and Canadian pensions reach a local bank, and what you report at home.
Budget
Cost of living
Official prices and a budget built from your own rent.
What it costs
Household prices in Croatia run at about 59% of US levels. Rent is the line nobody publishes officially, so the cost of living page builds your budget from your own rent.
Build your budgetOfficial poverty line, person living alone, per month, 2025 survey
Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Where retirees settle
Zagreb
- Capital, 767,131 people (2021), 127 m above sea level
- University Hospital Centre Zagreb
Split
- Port city in Dalmatia, 160,577 people (2021)
- University Hospital Centre Split
Dubrovnik
- Walled town on the southern coast, 41,562 people (2021)
- General Hospital Dubrovnik, emergency service 24/7
Pula
- Coastal city in Istria, 52,220 people (2021)
- General Hospital Pula, 432 beds
Wikidata; KBC Zagreb; KBC Split; General Hospital Dubrovnik; General Hospital Pula. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
More guides on Croatia
Visiting Croatia first
Most people spend a few weeks in Croatia before they apply for anything. Two things to sort out for that trip:
Kiwi.com
Flights to Croatia
Compare routes and dates before a scouting trip.
Airalo
eSIM for Croatia
Mobile data from the day you land, without a local SIM.
Partner links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. How this works.
Retiring in Croatia: questions
Is Croatia safe for retirees?
The US State Department rates Croatia Level 1, exercise normal precautions.
Do I pay tax in Croatia on my pension?
Yes. A resident's pension is taxed with employment income at the rates of the city or municipality, 15% to 23% on the first €60,000 a year and 25% to 33% above, after a €600 monthly allowance. With no US income tax treaty, US citizens still file a US return.
Can Americans retire in Croatia?
Yes, on temporary stay for other purposes, which needs €869.40 a month in 2026, health insurance and a reason to stay such as owning a home. It lasts a year, and only retirees over 60 who own property in Croatia can renew it.
Is Croatia a good place to retire?
Prices run at about 59% of US levels, the UK State Pension is uprated there, and US Social Security can be paid into a Croatian bank. The catch is residence: without property and age 60, the retiree permit lasts one year.
Where do retirees live in Croatia?
In Zagreb, the capital, or on the coast in Split, Dubrovnik or Pula in Istria, each with a public hospital with an emergency department.
